Different isn't always better. But in the case of ESPN's "Monday
Night Football," different makes a world of difference.

The subtraction of Tony Kornheiser from the booth and the
addition of Jon Gruden has invigorated the telecasts.

Partly because "MNF" has been blessed with good games so far
this season ---- Bills-Patriots with Tom Brady at quarterback,
Colts-Dolphins with Peyton Manning at QB, Panthers-Cowboys with the
opening of the new $1.2 billion stadium in Dallas, Packers-Vikings
with Brett Favre playing his old team for the first time, and
Jets-Dolphins with young Jets QB Mark Sanchez ---- and partly
because of the change in the broadcast booth, ratings are way
up.

"MNF" telecasts this season have drawn the six largest audiences
on cable TV and are averaging an 11.1 rating with 11 million
households. Those represent a 21 percent increase over last
year.

This Monday night, ESPN appears to have another audience grabber
when the red-hot Denver Broncos travel to San Diego to meet a
desperate Chargers team.

"We've been blessed with good fortune," said Mike Tirico, the
"MNF" play-by-play man. "We've had Brady, Manning, a new stadium in
Dallas, Favre and Sanchez.

"No doubt there is some intrigue this week. The Broncos got
people's attention with a win over New England last week. They're
5-0 and in great shape.

"For the Chargers, the angle is very clear ---- lose and you're
3 1/2 games back, and you can't win a tiebreaker with Denver.
Chargers fans lived this movie last year. This could be the
sequel."

After three years with a booth of Tirico, Kornheiser and Ron
Jaworksi, ESPN officials decided there wouldn't be a sequel this
season. Kornheiser, who is great on his "Pardon the Interruption"
show with Michael Wilbon, was miscast on "MNF" and wasn't asked
back.

Tirico had nothing bad to say about Kornheiser, saying he
enjoyed working with him.

"(But) Jon Gruden has been great," Tirico said. "In the past,
Jaws (Jaworksi) was the X's and O's guy, Tony was the storyteller,
and I was the play-by-play guy."

Jaworski was a star quarterback with the Eagles. Gruden was a
well-respected coach with the Raiders and Bucs, winning Super Bowl
XXVIII with Tampa Bay.

"It has been presented as what we didn't have with Tony, and
that was unfair" Tirico said, "But it was hard to get on the same
page."

It became hard for Kornheiser ---- not a football guy ---- to
fit his stories around Jaworski's analysis.

"Now we're more on the same page," Tirico said. "We're more
conversational. We're pulling the same way. We've learned that
covering the game is the most important thing we do. When people
tune in the game, they want the announcers talking about the
game.

"We're having a blast this season, and I hope it's coming off
that way on the air. Jon has been great on the air, and he's just
as good to be with off the air. The crew hangs out. We watch
college games together on Saturday, eat dinner together and watch
the early NFL games together on Sunday mornings.